Car arsonist pleads guilty to southern York County vehicle fires

Co-defendant due in court next week.

Alexander Robb said he had no excuse for torching 13 cars over a 14-month period beginning in December 2009.

"I'm not asking for an excuse, I'm asking why you did it," York County Judge Richard K. Renn said during the 21-year-old's guilty plea hearing on Friday.

"I really don't have a reason," Robb said quietly.

"You would just drive around looking for cars to burn," Renn said.

Robb conceded the question, adding that he was embarrassed about his actions.

"I wasn't thinking about the consequences," he said.

After Renn applied some heat of his own to the Shrewsbury Township man, he accepted multiple guilty pleas to arson, criminal conspiracy and criminal mischief.

Michael Nalls (SUBMITTED)

Robb and Michael Nalls were charged with setting fire to cars throughout southern York County, Penn Township and Baltimore County, Md., where a fire spread to a nearby house.

Friday, Renn deferred sentencing Robb, who has a negotiated plea for 2½ to five years in county prison. The judge ordered a pre-sentence investigation into Robb's background to help him determine if the plea agreement is appropriate.

If Renn refuses to authorize the agreement when Robb, who remains in custody, returns to court on Sept. 28, the pleas can be withdrawn and Robb will face trial prosecution.

Robb's co-defendant, Nalls, 22, of Chanceford Township, is scheduled for a court hearing on Thursday. First Assistant District Attorney Dave MacVeigh said Nalls has been offered a similar plea agreement.

MacVeigh said Robb's county prison sentence would allow him to seek outmate work release and begin paying restitution for the torched vehicles. There is no work release program for state prisoners.

Robb's attorney, Suzanne Smith, said the total restitution amount is approximately $104,000.

Friday, Robb said Nalls "lit the match" in all of the arsons except the last one. That one was a bait car set up by police on Feb. 4. Both men were arrested within days. Robb said he acted as the lookout in the other arsons.